Some animals spend most of their lives underground, using burrows for shelter, food storage, and protection. Moles tunnel through soil in search of insects, while burrowing owls nest in abandoned rodent holes. Naked mole-rats, one of the strangest mammals, live in large underground colonies.
Other subterranean creatures, like earthworms and sand boas, play vital roles in ecosystems by aerating soil and controlling pest populations. These underground specialists prove that an entire world exists beneath our feet.